Chair-iron



D. R. COLLIER.

CHAIR IRON.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. a. 1920.

fD. R. COLLIER.

CHAIR IRON.

APPLICATION FILED Dac. s. 1920.

I ,389, 1 86 Patented Aug. 30, 1921..

3 SIIEETS-SHEET 2.

mail? zgea '0. FI.4 COLLIER..

CHAIR IRON.

APPIICATION FILED DEC 9. 1920.

3 SHEETS-SH n I m nunumnu m u UNITED errer.esg

PATENT orrlcs.

DAVID E. COLLIER, or GARDNER, MASSACHUSETTS, AssreNoR To COLLIER- KEYWOETHV COMPANY, or GARDNER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATON OF MASSACHUSETTS.

CHAIR-IRON.

y,Spec.\':ato11'of Letters Patent. Pal-@nigga Aug 305 1321 Application filed December 9, 1920. Serial No. 429,341.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, DAVID R. COLLIER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gardner, in the county of TWorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Chair-Irons, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to chair irons for chairs having a'rotatable vertically-adjustable seat supported on a hub provided with radiating legs; and it has for its object to provide certain improvements, which .I shall subsequently describe, in that type of irons in' which the vertical adjustment is afforded by means separate from the spindle to which the head and the spider are secured.

0n the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 shows in side elevation a portion of a chair having` an iron embodying the present inventionj Fig. 2 represents ay plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 represents a front view of the iron on a somewhat larger scale.

Fig. l represents a section on the line 4.-4 of Fig. 2, with the spider in normal position.

Fig. 5 represents a Section v(Some parts omitted) on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 represents a section on the line (36 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 represents the hub in plan view.

lith but few exceptions, the various parts of the iron, which I am about to describe in detail, are all formed of sheet metal for purposes of lightness, strength and cheapness, but cast metal parts may be substituted therefor as may be desirable or convenient. I desire to have it understood also that, while the iron which I. have illustrated is the best form `of `the invention now known to me, it may be changed in many of its details without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

The spider comprises a spreader-consisting of a yoke-Shaped Vplate having a top vbar 10 and depending side bars or arms 11, and angle plates 12 the webs of which lit ,on the vangle formed by the said top plate and` side arms. The side arms of the Spreader are pivotally connected to a head which is likewise yoke-shaped and is provided with a bottom platre 13 land 11p-turned .side yarms or side bars 14. These yokeeshaped mem-4 bers are oppositely arranged and the upwardly-'projecting` side arms of the head lie betweeny the downwarelly-,extending V*Side arms 1l, 11, of the spreader. Asthev are thus constructed, theyv may be stampedfrom a fiat. strip of'metal and bent into shape. T he side arms of each o f these elements are provided with extensions. A pivot or bar 15 is passed through the extremities of the extensions of the side arms 11 ofthe spreader, and through the 11p-standing arms or side bars of the head, for the purpose of pivotally connecting these two elements together, the ends of the pivot bar being up-set or riveted as indicated at 16 Ain Fig. 3. The head is kaiixed to the end Aof an upstanding spindle 17, which preferably, though not necessarily, consists lof a solid metal, smooth, cylindrical bar.v A cross brace 18, with down-turned ends19, is secured between the side arms lil of the head by rivets 20, and it is spaced from the bottom or cross bar 13 of the Lhead so as to .provide means for rigidly securing the Spindle to the head. It will be observed from an inspection of F ig. 4l that the spindle is passed through the cross. bar 1,3 of the head and through the cross brace 18, and its shouldered upper end is upset or' otherwise formed to rigidly engage said cross brace as at 21. The 11p-standing cirtensions 22 ofthe side arms or `side bars 14 of the head are formed with a corner 23 on whichrest the concavetrunions 24, 24, of a cross plate 25, which is adapted to rock on the corners as a pivot.V Through this plate there is passed a bolt 26, the outer extremity of which vpasses through a spring plate 27 ,and is provided with a` nut 2S resting against said springplate. Compression springs 29 yare 'introduced between said. spring .plate and the depending web 30 yof an angle -baiythe other web 31 vof which is riveted to the under side ofthe cross bar 10 ofthe. spreader. Normally the pressure ofy the springs 29 holds lthe web 30 of. the-.angle plate against the up-standing extensions l22 of the head. but, when the Spider is .tilted backwardly, aSr shown in Fig. 5, theextremities of the extension 22 enter slots 33 of the web 31 Aof the ,angle plate, and engaging the kends of the slots limit the tiltingmovement kof the spider as will be Vclearly seen from 'an inspection of Fig. 5. -The usual seat is secured as usual to the angle arms of the spider, which arms are ofthe usual construction.

The hub, to which the chair legs 34 are secured, consists of a central sheet-metal tube 35 encircled by channel bars substantially similar to those described in Letters Patent No. 1,287,640, granted to me on December 17, 1918, these angle bars being shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7 at 36. The upper end of the sleeve or tube 35 is passed through the central aperture in a circularl plate 37 which forms the top member of the hub, and the ends of the tube are spun or turned outwardly as at 38 so as to overlap the upper surface of said plate as shown in Fig. 4. The tube is beaded as at 39 so that it is rigidly secured to the circular plate 37. The upper ends of the channel bars are secured to this plate 37 in the same manner that the channel bars are secured in the construction described in the Letters Patent aforesaid. The bottom of the hub consists of a plate 40 having radiating arms 41, and itis slipped onto the lower end of the sleeve 37 so as to engage projections 42 extending downwardly from the middle web of the channel bars 36. The legs are held in the channel bars by wood screws 43 passed through the top plate 37 and by screws 44, 45, passed up through the bottom plate 41. As thus described, the hub is substantially similar to the hub illustrated and described in said Letters Patent. j

Instead of adjusting the head and the spider relatively to the hub by means ot the central spindle, about the axis of which the head rotates, I provide independent means for eiiecting such vertical adjustment. It will be observed from Fig. 4 that the spindle 17 passes down through the unthreaded portion of the sleeve or tube 35, and is free to rotate therein freely, the contacting surfaces heilig cylindrical and Unthreaded, and the central tube extending a short distance above the top circular plate 37.

Restingon the central tube is a collar 50 which is of the same internal diameter as the tube 35, and which is in sliding engagement with the spindle 17. This collar constitutes the hub of a plate 51 which is placed on the tube and which is held between a rib or bead 52 thereon, and a second collar which is located between the plate 51 and the outwardly spilli extremity 54 of the collar 50. The extremity 54 is directly opposed to the extremity 38 of the central tube 35 of the main hub, so that it may rest directly thereon and be supported thereby, but preferably 1 place between them a fiber washer 55 to reduce wear and friction. 1f desired, any other form of end-thrust bearing might be interposed between the collar 50 and the end of the tube 35 of the main hub. For purposes of ornamentation and better appearance, the plate 51 is provided with a down-turned marginal flange or skirt 56 which conceals the parts located between the plate 51 and the top plate 37 of the hub. These two plates are'held against relative axial movement by means of a relatively short flanged segment 58 secured to the top plate 37 by rivets 59, as shown in Fig. 7. The small collar 53 is provided with a pea ripheral flange 60 which takes under the flange of the segment, as shown in Fig. 4, thereby preventing axial dislocation of the plate 51 from the main hub under normal conditions. The plate 51 is not entirely circular. As shown in Fig. 2, it is provided with a lug 61 through which is introduced cylindrical end 62 of a screw bar 63. The threaded portion of this screw bar extends upwardly through a threaded sleeve 64 which is rigidly secured in lugs 65 66, formed on the cross brace 18 and the bottom cross bar 13 of the head. For the purpose of securing this sleeve in place, it may be beaded as indicated at 68, 69, so as to engage the lugs through which its extremities pass. A Cotter pin is passed through the lower extremity of the screw bar so as to engage the under fare of the plate 51. The lower portion of the screw bar is reduced' in di ameter so as to provide a shoulder 71 to engage the plate 51, and, above the plate 51, there is rigidly secured to the screw bar a handle by which it may be rotated. This handle consistsl of a concave circular plate 72 with a down-turned flange or skirt, into which is forced a fiat washer or member 73 which engages the marginal flange or skirt 'ot the member 72 of the handle. The members 73 and 72 are forced together under pressure so that they are securely bound one to the other, and they are likewise forced :friction-tight on the Unthreaded portion of the screwr bar (which is upset to form splines 74), so that, when the handle as thus formed is rotated, the screw is likewise rotated. rThe screw bar serves to connect the head and thc screw-supporting plate, so that they will all rotate with the spindle 17 as a unitary structure, as the spindle 17 rotates in the central tube ot' the pedestal hub. lhenever desired,the screw bar,how ever, 'may be rotated to adjust the spindle and the parts secured thereto relatively to the hub and the pedestal. The rotation of the'chair seat and the spider to which it is secured are about the axis of' the spindle 17, which is, of course, coincident with the axis of the main pedestal hub. Furthermore, the entire weight of the chair seat, the spindle and all of the parts above the main huh are supported directly on the upper extremity of the central tube of the main hub, and all of the adjusting mechanism is located above the top plate 37 of the main hub. The central tube or sleeve of the hub is rigidly secured to the top and bottom plates of the main hub, and is not rotatable relatively thereto., as a result ef which I am able to secure a rrigid `construction. The rotating element, which engages the main hub, is the solid spindle 17 which passes therethrough, and the collar 50, as stated, is located entirely above the main hub and rests upon the extremity of the non-A rotary sleeve or tube which forms an essential element of the hub. Thus the bore of the main hub or the tube which forms a portion thereof is in engagement only with the central spindle 17 which rotates therein. While the central spindle 17 acts as a guide post, it is not fixed in the hub, but, as stated, is freely rotatable therein, and is adapted to slide vertically up and down within the hub. Ihe plate 51, with the collar 50 which forms the hub thereof, and which could if desired be formed integrally therewith, constitutes the adjusting screw carrier. It is not essential that this element should be made of sheet metal, although for various purposes this is de sirable. However, it is desirable to have it provided with a depending flange 56 to increase its lstiffness and prevent its being bent by the downward vthrust ofthe adjustment screw 63 which rests thereon.

I-Iaving thus explained the nature of my said invention and described a way of making and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modes of its use, what I claim is:-

1. In a chair iron, a seat-supporting head, a non-rotatable main hub, a spindle fixed to saidhead and having a sliding and rotatable engagement with the inner wall of said hub, and head adjusting means parallel. to said spindle, resting rotatably on said hub and adapted to rotate with said spindle and to slide said spindle in the hub.

2. In al chair iron, a seat-supporting head, a main hub having a fixed central tubular member, a spindle fixed to said head and slidably and rotatably fitting in said tubular hub member in engagementy with the inner wall thereof, a plate rotatably supported on the hub member, and an adjusting screw journalcd in said plate outside of the central tubular member and in threaded engagement with said head.

3. In a chair iron, a seat-supporting head, a main hub having a central tubular member, a spindle fixed to said head and extending downwardly through said tubular member so as freely to rotate and slide therein, a plate restingloosely upon the upper end of the head and in sliding engagement with said spindle, and an upstanding adjusting screw stepped in said plate and having a threaded engagement v with said head.

4. In a chair iron, a pedestal hub having a central bore, a spindle journaled in said bore to rotate on its axis andto slide verticallyV inV said hub, a seat-supporting head secured to the upper end of the spindle to move up and down therewith, a rotatable member supported on the hub, means to hold said member on said hub without preventing its rotation relatively to the hub, and an upstanding screwjournaled in said member and having its upper threaded end in threaded engagement with said head.

, 5. In a chair iron, ya head comprising a yoke having a cross bar and upstanding arms, a cross brace parallel to said cross bar and secured to said yoke, and a tubular nut secured to said cross bar and said cross brace; an adjusting screw inv engagement with said nut; and a spindle engaged with the cross bar and the cross brace of said head.

6. In a chair iron, a head comprising a yoke having a cross bar and upstanding arms, a cross'brace parallel to said cross bar and secured to saidV yoke, and a tubular nut passing through and secured to said cross bar and said cross brace. Y

7. In a chair iron, a pedestal hub, a spindle passing rotatably and slidably through the bore of said hub, a seat-supporting head located on the upper end of the spindle and lixed against axial movement relatively thereto, a rotatableplate having a hub slidingly engaging said spindle and resting on the top of the pedestal hub, a nut Aon the said head, an adjusting screw seated on said plate and in threaded engagement with said nut, and a member for holding saidA plate against vertical movement relatively to said hub without preventing its rotation.

8. In a chair irovn,.a pedestal hub, a spindle passing rotatably and slidably through the bore of said hub, a seat-supporting Ahead located on the upper end of the spindle and fixed against axial movement relatively thereto, a rotatable plate having a hub slidingly engaging said spindle and resting on the top of the pedestal hub, a nut on the said head, an ladjusting screw seated on said plate and in threaded engagement with said nut, Vand means located between said rotatable plate and said pedestal hub, having an interlocking engagement with the hub of said plate.

9. In a chair iron, a pedestal hub having a tubular bore, a eentrally-apertured rotatable plate resting on said hub, an antifriction thrust bearing interposed between said plate and said hub, a spindle passing through and in longitudinally slidable engagement with said bore and the aperture in nsaid plate, and means for interlocking said plate with said hub.

10. In a chair iron, a pedestal hub having a central tube, a rotatable adjustment-screwsupporting member having a hub alined with and supported by said central tube,

having an interlocking engagement with the hub of said adju-stment-screw-supporting plate.

11. In a chair iron, a pedestal hub having a central tube, a rotatable adjustment-screwsupporting member having a hub alined. with and supported by said central tube, a locking member` on the pedestal hub having' an interlocking engagement with the hub of said adjustment-screw-supporting plate, and a head-supporting spindle rotatably and slidably engaged with the hub of said plate and the central tube of the pedestal hub.

12. In a chair iron, a pedestal hub oomprising a central tube and a top plate secured thereto, a seait-supportingi head, a

`spindle fixed thereto against relatively axial movement, a nut on said head, a rotatable plate having a hub through the bore of which the spindle extends, said last-mentioned hub resting on and being supported by the central tube of the pedestal hub, a locking member onV the top plate of the pedestal hub engaging the hub of the rotatable plate, to prevent axial separation of said plate and said pedestal hub, and an upstanding screw bar seated in said plate and having a threaded engagement With Said head.

13. In a chair iron, a head having spaced parallel bars, a spindle located in apertures in said bars, a tubular nut parallel to said spindle and having its ends located in apertures in .said bars, and means for holding said tubular nut against axial movement relatively to said bars.

14. In a chair iron, a head having spaced` parallel bars, a spindle locatedin apertures in said bars, a tubular nut parallel to said spindle and having its ends locatediin apertures in said bars, and external beads on Said nut engaging said bars to vhold said nut againstaxlal movement.

15.` In a chair iron, the combination with i a spindle, an adjusting screw parallel therewith, a pedestal hub in which said spindle is journaled and a head on the spindle having a nut with which said screw is engaged, of a screw-supporting plate, a collar forming the hub of said plate and having a bead above the plate, and a second collar on the hub below the plate and clamping it against said bead, said plate resting on the pedestal hub and rotatable relatively thereto.

16. In a chair iron, the combination with a spindle, an adjusting screw parallel therewith, a pedestal hub .in which said spindle is journaled and a head on the spindle having a nut with which said screw is engaged, of a screw-supporting plate, a collar forming the hub of said plate located on said spindle, and seated on the pedestal hub, said collar having a flange, and a locking member on the pedestal hub taking over said flange, to permit said plate to rotate and yet to hold it against axial movement relatively to said pedestal hub.

17. In a chair iron, the combination of a pedestal hub, a spindle rotatable and slidable in the bore ofsaid hub, a seat-supporting l head secured to the upper end of the spindle to rotate and to move up and down therewith, a plate rotatably supported on top of the pedestal hub and located above the horizontal planes thereof, and an adjusting screw steppedin saidy plate and in threaded engagement 'with said head.

In testimony whereof'I have affixed my' signature.

DAVID R.' COLLIER. 

